The boothbabe dynamic may bring in a lot of north-middle-aged Diana Krall listeners and nouveau riche asians, but it's not doing any favors to the popular image of the audiophile.

I think the booth babe thing started in the first place because those kind of hobbies were already male dominated to begin with.  Then as it becomes entrenched it becomes a positive feedback loop and serves to keeps females out.

Will never understand how men are more obsessed with phalluses than we are. It doesn't even make sense.

Apparently we're all just insecure little boys at heart...

Guys don't even like to use the term audiophile. I believe "music appreciator" is what's in vogue.  Can't blame them since most audiophiles look like old dudes with grey hair, big bellies, and Hawaii shirts. Some of the more advanced audiophiles are so old that they can barely walk. At least this was my experience at T.H.E. SHOW.

I think it's more because a the cynical definition of an audiophile is someone who uses music to listen to the equipment rather than using the equipment to listen to the music.

Could be worse. Could be the stereotypical unwashed basement dwelling anime/comic nerd heathen.

That must mean I'm in trouble...

OTOH, you do see a lot more females at anime cons than at audio shows.

I feel the same way about women's obsession with shoes - it's just another one of life's little mysteries.

It's not about the shoes, it's the level of ass enhancement. The higher the heels, the more your ass is enhanced, so you need like 5 gradient pairs to cover the various levels of ass enhancement you need, and then you need them in your different color schemes and different styles to match your outfits. You have 5 gradient levels, 3 colors, and 4 styles, which works out to about 60 pairs of shoes, but you can't afford 60 pairs of shoes, so you cut out the ones that are the least different until you have the largest possible variation between shoes, which leaves you with about 12 pairs of shoes.

It really is a simple mathematical problem and I've never seen any woman explain it to a man before, even though he'd probably get it. A lot of men think we're just obsessed with shoes at random. They don't think about the actually quite elaborate math behind it all.

It's not about the shoes, it's the level of ass enhancement.

I thought it was to stretch the calves as an indication of coital readiness (for real).

but you can't afford 60 pairs of shoes, so you cut out the ones that are the least different until you have the largest possible variation between shoes, which leaves you with about 12 pairs of shoes.

A friend of mine when she had her house built specifically got a walk-in closet just for her shoes. The last time I asked (maybe 5 years ago), she was at over 200 pairs...

I thought it was to stretch the calves as an indication of coital readiness (for real).

My ex told me that it was strapped high heels that was the giveaway.  She called them "Come f**k me shoes".